Darmstadt Madonna
The Darmstadt Madonna (also known as the Madonna of Jakob Meyer zum Hasen) is an oil painting by Hans Holbein the Younger. Completed in 1526 in Basel, the work shows the Bürgermeister of Basel Jakob Meyer zum Hasen, his first wife (who had died earlier), his current wife, and his daughter grouped around the Madonna and infant Jesus. The meaning of the two other male figures on the left side is, like the overall iconography of the image, not entirely clear. The image testified to the resolutely Catholic faith of the Bürgermeister, who actively opposed the Reformation.
The painting was influenced by Italian Renaissance religious painting, with elements of Netherlandish portrait painting. Earlier located in Darmstadt, whence its title, the work has been on temporary loan to the Städelschen Kunstinstitut in Frankfurt am Main since 2004 and until 2011.
As of 2012, the painting is at display in the Johanniterkirche in Schwäbisch Hall.
References
All of the following texts are in German.
- Hans Holbeins Madonna im Städel. Der Bürgermeister, sein Maler und seine Familie. Exhibit Catalog, Petersberg 2004, ISBN 3-937251-24-3.
- Oskar Bätschmann, Pascal Griener: Hans Holbein d. J. Die Darmstädter Madonna. Original gegen Fälschung. Fischer, Frankfurt am Main 1998.
- Christl Auge: Zur Deutung der Darmstädter Madonna. Lang, Frankfurt am Main 1993.
- Günther Grundmann: Die Darmstädter Madonna. Eduard Roether, Darmstadt 1959.
- Theodor Gaedertz: Hans Holbein der Jüngere und seine Madonna des Bürgermeisters Meyer. Mit den Abbildungen der Darmstädter und der Dresdener Madonna. Bolhoevener, Lübeck 1872.
- Gustav Theodor Fechner: Ueber die Aechtheitsfrage der Holbein’schen Madonna: Discussion und Acten. Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig 1871.
- Dr. Georg Haupt: Der Darmstadter Museumsstreit. Eine Verteidigungsschrift, Jena, Diederichs 1904.
